Sable Island, Nova Scotia

We are members of the Sable Island Preservation Trust, an organization that is working to preserve and protect the beautiful and mysterious Sable Island, approximately 90 minutes (by air) from Halifax NS, Canada.

Known for the beautiful wild horses that have roamed the island (and still do) for centuries.

Once known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic, due to the many shipwrecks that rammed the island's shores (Sable was mentioned in the movie, the Perfect Storm). Sable today is no longer a lifesaving station for shipwreck survivors but it still inhabited by groups of scientists who come and go, mostly to study the birds, seals and horses of the island. Six permanent residents also inhabit the island all year, manning a main station that provides administation, weather reporting, coordination of aircraft activity to name a few of their activities.

We had the pleasure of seeing an intriguing film, Moving Sands, based in part on the lives of some of the early inhabitants of Sable Island. Featuring haunting scenes of earlier days on the islands and telling of the struggles and challenges faced by the family of Trixie Bouteilliers. Her father was the superintendent of the lifesaving station from 1885-1912. This is a story, told from the perspective of a young girl, living an unusual albeit wonderful childhood.

For more information past and present and spectacular photos of Sable Island, see the following links. It is a unique and special place. On our list of places still to visit. Visitors are restricted but there have been expeditions open to the public, as a way of promoting the cause of preserving Sable.

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2 responses

Curt & I went to Nova Scotia for our honeymoon but we didn’t know about Sable Island. One of the best things about blogs is that I learn so much! It sounds beautiful….all of Nova Scotia is, really, but Sable Island sounds very special. Maybe one day I’ll get to visit.

Hi Caroline, If you get a chance to see this film Moving Sands, in the meantime, it is really interesting and beautifully photographed. I absolutely love the wild horses, with their beautiful full manes and substantial legs and hooves….a lot more natural looking than the horses that we usually see.

It is a unique and beautiful place and as I said in the post, we hope to visit if the opportunity comes up. The Preservation Trust had a lotto in NS a year or so ago, the prize was a overnight trip to the island hosted by one of Canada’s nicest celebs. Justin Trudeau (son of the late PM Pierre Trudeau). It must have been a memorable trip for the lucky winners. Hopefully they will have another draw and this time open it up to people outside NS, I suggested that and they said they would like to but were not allowed by NS restrictions on the Island at this time.
Bye again….Geraldine